Government hospitals have been documenting the so-called “brain drain” of highly qualified healthcare professionals abroad for some time. Since then, this migration has changed so much that the nation and/or particular regions now risk losing highly specialized roles. This applies to staff members who provide care in places including intensive care units, surgical rooms, accident and emergency rooms, neonatal intensive care units, radiotherapy centers, and medical microbiological laboratories.
The Academic Hospital Paramaribo (which provides 60% of hospital care and 95% of the best clinical, complex, and acute care in the nation), the Lands Hospital (the primary hospital for mothers and children), and the Mungra Medical Center have all issued cries for assistance, and the Surinamese government has taken note (the only hospital in the west of the country).
A bridging payment and a recruitment and retention allowance will be given to employees who are necessary for continuing care functions, according to a decision made at a government meeting. Furthermore, whether or not through more intensive hospital collaborations, the National Hospital Council (NZR) has been asked to deploy medical personnel in Suriname more effectively.
The government is hoping that by providing this benefit, it will encourage medical professionals to stay in Suriname and continue to support the country’s healthcare system. According to the Ministry of Health, the government would keep working to increase public understanding of medical professionals in a planned manner.
